Buoyant barrier and method for installing the same

ABSTRACT

A buoyant barrier, for confining oil spills and the like, comprises an elongated sheet of flexible material and a plurality of resiliently collapsible air chambers secured to the sheet and arranged in two series each extending along a different side edge portion thereof, the arrangement being such that the barrier can be flattened and wound on a reel, for storage and transport, and unwound from the reel and deployed on the surface of a body of water when in use. When the barrier is deployed, the inflated air chambers afford buoyant support, and the sheet extends in troughlike fashion to define a water chamber.

United States Patent Manuel Aug. 29, 1972 [54] BUOYANT BARRIER ANDMETHOD FOR INSTALLING THE SAME [72] Inventor: James E. Manuel, BelleTerre, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Versatech Corporation, Nesconset,

[22] Filed: March 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 121,275

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.857,792, Sept.

[52] U.S. Cl .,....6l/1 F [51] Int. Cl. ..E02b 15/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..61/1, 5;2l0/12l,242

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,608,316 9/1971 Manuel 1 1F 2/1971 Smith ..61/lF 6/1971 Gadd ..61/1F [57] ABSTRACT A buoyantbarrier, for confining oil spills and the like, comprises an elongatedsheet of flexible material and a plurality of resiliently collapsibleair chambers secured to the-sheet and arranged in two series eachextending along a different side edge portion thereof, the arrangementbeing such that the barrier can be flattened and wound on a reel, forstorage and transport, and unwound from the reel and deployed on thesurface of a body of water when in use. When the barrier is deployed,the inflated air chambers afford buoyant support, and the sheet extendsin trough-like fashion to define a water chamber.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing; Fi

PAIENTEDwszs I972 INVENTOR JAMES E. MANUEL BY 76 A w, Mag

ATTORNEY! PATENTEDwczs I972 SHEEI 2 0F 2 ill . FIG. 7 29 INVENTOR JAMESE. MANUEL m 6A Mdl BUOYANT BARRIER AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING THE SAMEThis application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSer. No. 857,792, filed Sept. 15, 1969.

This invention relates to buoyant barriers and methods for installingthem. Though the invention is of broader utility, it offers particularadvantage in the containment of floating pollutants, typically spilledoil.

In recent years, there has been a rapidly increasing need for aneffective way to contain flowable pollutant materials spilled on thesurface of a body of water. The problem is particularly critical withrespect to oil spills which can occur, for example, at offshore wells orfrom tankers, refueling buoys, dock installations, and the like.Prior-art workers have proposed to employ for this purpose various kindsof buoyant enclosures, the enclosure usually being made up of a seriesof floats, typically of foamed polymeric material, with the floats eachbeing provided with a skirt which depends into the water for asignificant distance, the combination of float bodies and skirtscombining to present a confining surface of considerable area. It hasalso been proposed to make the floats in the form of an inflatablestructure fabricated from flexible sheet material. In such priorartproposals, weight means is provided along the skirt, with the weightmeans having a specific gravity greater than that of water, to hold theskirt in its dependent position and to stabilize the overall structure.While such proposals have received considerable attention, and arefrequently employed under those conditions where lengthy transport ofthe structure is not involved (as in the case of the problem ofenclosing a tanker at dockside), the structures hereinbefore proposedhave not been capable of being quickly and easily transported for longdistances and then speedily installed at the point of use.

A general object of the invention is accordingly to devise a buoyantbarrier, especially suitable for use in containing oil spills, whichemploys only structure and equipment which can be quickly transported,as by aircraft, delivered to the point of installation, and then quicklydeployed on the surface of a body of water to contain the floatingpollutant or other material.

Another object is to provide an elongated barrier structure which can besupplied in a single, lightweight package and which does not embody anyweight means of a character which must be transported therewith.

A further object is to provide a buoyant barrier structure which isfabricated from flexible sheet material and can be deployed more quicklythan has heretofore been possible.

Stated generally, buoyant barriers according to the invention comprise aflexible sheet having two generally parallel side edge portions, and aplurality of resiliently collapsible air chambers arranged in two serieswith the air chambers of each series secured to and extending along adifferent one of the two side edge portions of the sheet. Typically,each air chamber can be formed of flexible sheet material enclosing ahelical compression spring, the air chambers being arranged with theaxes of the springs perpendicular to the plane of the sheet to which thechambers are attached. The air chambers are provided with passage means,to allow inflow of air during inflation and outflow of air as thechambers are collapsed, and automatic valves are advantageously employedto close the passage means when the chambers are in inflated condition.The overall barrier structure is of such flexibility that it can bewound on a reel, with the air chambers collapsing in directions radialto the axis of the reel, and unwound from the reel for deployment, with.the air chambers expanding resiliently for inflation as the barrier isunwound. When the barrier is deployed on the surface of a body of water,the inflated air chambers provide buoyant support, and the flexiblesheet depends therefrom in through-like fashion to define a waterchamber which stabilizes the floating barrier.

In order that the manner in which the foregoing and other objects areachieved according to the invention can be understood in detail,particularly advantageous embodiments thereof will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of theoriginal disclosure of this application, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a buoyant barrier structureaccording to one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention,with buoyancy chambers inflated and the structure illustrated in typicalposition on the surface of a body of water;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an end portion of the barrierstructure of FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the barrier structure of FIG.1, but with the structure in the collapsed and folded condition in whichthe same is stored;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the air chambersemployed in the barrier of FIGS. 14;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a valve employed inthe air chamber shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, illustrating a baffled air passagedevice useful as an alternative to the valve of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGS. l-6 illustrate a buoyantbarrier according to one embodiment of the invention, with the barriershown in deployed condition in FIGS. 1-3. The barrier comprises anelongated flexible water impervious sheet 1 having parallel side edgeportions 2 and 3 to which reinforcing strips 4 and 5, respectively, aresecured throughout the length of the sheet.

A plurality of resiliently collapsible air chambers, indicated generallyat 6 and shown in detail in FIG. 5, are provided, air chambers 6 beingarranged in pairs with each pair being secured to one of the edgeportions 2, 3. The air chambers 6 of each pair carried by edge portion 2of sheet 1 are opposed to each other, one end of one air chamber 6 beingsecured directly to edge portion 2 and projecting therefrom, the likeend of the other air chamber being secured directly to strip 4 andprojecting therefrom, and the pairs of air chambers being spaced alongedge portion 2 throughout essentially the entire length of the edgeportion, so that edge portion 2 thus carries two series of the airchambers. The air chambers 6 carried by edge portion 3 are arranged inthe same fashion just described for those carried by edge portion 2.

The main body of sheet 1 extends as a greatly elongated rectangle. Thecombination of sheet 1 and air chambers 6 can be flattened and wound ona reel in the fashion described in my copending application Ser. No.857,792, the winding operation causing the air chambers 6 to collapse tothe condition shown in FIG. 4, so that a relatively great length of thebarrier can be wound on a single reel. When the barrier is unwound fromthe reel, for deployment onto the body of water, air chambers 6 expandto inflated condition, as described in detail hereinafter, as soon asthe restraint resulting from the wound configuration is removed.

The transverse width of sheet 1 between edge portions 2 and 3 issubstantial. Accordingly, when the barrier has been deployed, the mainbody portion of the sheet can depend in trough-like fashion from theinflated air chambers, so that body portion defines a water chamber 7for stabilizing the buoy. Water chamber 7 can be filled by pumping waterinto the trough as the buoy is deployed, or simply by immersing thebarrier briefly in the body of water during deployment, such immersionbeing accomplished, for example, by running the barrier under aninflated buoyant roller disposed on the surface of the body of water andcarried by the deploying vessel on which the reel is mounted.

Advantageously, air chambers 6 are all identical, constructed as shownin FIGS. and 6. Each chamber includes a flat end member 8 of circularplan, an opposite end member 9 which is also generally flat and ofcircular plan, equal in diameter to member 8, a helical compressionspring 10, an enclosing wall 1 1 of relatively thin flexible sheetmaterial, and an automatic air valve indicated generally at 12. Endmember 8 is imperforate and is fixed to the exposed face of thecorresponding reinforcing strip 2, 3, as by adhesive. The enclosing wall11 can be a piece of extruded tubular sheet or film with the diameter ofthe tubular piece equal to the diameter of members 8 and 9, the endportions of the tubular piece each embracing the periphery of adifferent one of members 8 and 9 and being secured thereto, as byadhesive, in fluid-tight fashion. The spring 10 has one end engaged withthe inner face of member 8 and the other end engaged with the inner faceof member 9. Accordingly, spring 10 urges the device to its fullyinflated condition, seen in FIG. 5, with wall 11 taut between endmembers 8 and 9, the spring 10 still being under light compression whenthe wall 11 is taut. Spring 10 and the flexible nature of wall 11 allowsthe chamber 6 to be collapsed axially to the condition shown in FIG. 4,with bellows action, under axial forces applied to the end members.Valve 12 allows atmospheric air to enter the chamber during inflation,and to exhaust therefrom, during collapsing, and excludes entry of waterwhen the chamber is inflated.

As seen in FIG. 6, valve 12 comprises end member 9, as a fixed valvemember, a movable valve member 13, a sealing ring 14, and a stop line15. Member 9 is provided at its center with an axially offset portion 16defining a circular recess 17 which opens through the outer face ofmember 9. Member 9 also includes a central bore 18 of circulartransverse cross section. Movable valve member 13 includes a circularhead 19, a

being initially separate from head 19, the head having a bore in whichthe stem is inserted and rigidly secured during assembly. Head 19 has aflat rear face 24 lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of stem20 in the assembled device. One end of stop line 15 is secured to stem20, as by being molded in place. The other end of the stop line issecured to end member 8, as by a suitable clip 22, FIG. 5, rigidlyattached to the end member. Valve 12 is assembled, before application ofwall 1 1, by inserting stem 20 through bore 18, applying sealing ring14, inserting the tip of the stem into the bore in head 19, and securingthe stem to the head.

When air chamber 6 is in the inflated condition shown in FIG. 5, line 15is taut, holding head 19 in a position, relative to end member 9, suchthat ring 14 is compressed between face 24 of head 19 and surface 17a ofrecess 17. With the air chamber and valve in this condition, watercannot enter the chamber via the valve and the buoyancy afforded by thechamber is thus preserved even if the air chamber should be submergedbriefly by wave action. The closing pressure applied to the valve byspring 10 depends upon the effective length of stop line 15 beingsomewhat shorter than the effective length of the tubular wall 11. Onlya small positive closing pressure is required, however, because, shouldthe air chamber be submerged, the hydrostatic head applied to head 19will act to aid the closing pressure.

Valve 12 provides air passage means, including the space between thewall of bore 18 and the surface of stem 20, via which air can enter theair chamber during inflation and exhaust from the chamber duringcollapsing of the chamber. During collapsing, the effective pressurewithin the chamber tends to increase and, since axial collapsing allowsstop line 15 to go slack, the valve opens to allow outflow of air. Toassure free air passage even though flange 21 engages member 9, theflange can be provided with a plurality of radial slots 23. When the airchamber is free to expand under the action of spring 10, line 15 beingslack, valve 12 is open to allow free inflow of air. To assure that ring14 will not close the valve under the action of inflowing air, the ringcan embrace stem 20 with a tight fit, so as to remain in a fixedposition adjacent head 19 rather than being free to move along the stem20. If desired, a light compression spring (not shown) can be insertedbetween head 19 and surface 17a.

From FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be noted that the depth of recess 17 in endmember 9 is greater than the combined axial dimensions of head 19 andring 14. Hence, a force can be applied to member 9 in a direction tocollapse the air chamber, as during winding of the barrier, withoutinterfering with operation of the valve.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, valve 12 is replaced by a limitedaperture device 25 secured in fluid-tight fashion in a bore 26 in member9. Member 25 can be a rigid structure laminated from elements formed ofa suitable polymeric material, and comprises an outer member 27, a ring28, a flat plate 29, a ring 30, and an inner member 31. Members 27 and31 are provided with at least one aperture 32 and 33, respectively,which may be aligned if desired. Intermediate plate 29 is provided withat least one aperture 34, offset laterally relative to apertures 32, 33.The inner diameters of rings 28 and 30 surround the locations of all ofthe apertures 32, 33 and 34. Accordingly, air can pass freely throughthe apertures and the spaces between members 27 and 29 and 29 and 31,but direct inflow of water, as might result from wave action, isprecluded.

Returning to FIG. 1, it will be noted that for each pair of the airchambers 6, one air chamber projects laterally away from the barrier,while the other air chamber of each pair projects inwardly to float onthe water contained in trough 7. The interiors of the air chambers ofeach pair are mutually independent. Accordingly, the paired arrangementof the air chambers provides redundancy, assuring adequate buoyancy eventhough one or more air chambers are damaged.

To aid in deployment, the ends of the structure are folded to provide aflat upright tab 35, FIG. 2, equipped with eyelets 36 for attachment ofretaining lines or other fastening means. A plurality of springs 37,FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, are advantageously secured to the main body portion ofsheet 1, the springs having the arcuate configuration seen in FIG. 1when in relaxed, undistorted condition, but being sufficiently resilientto be readily flattened to the condition shown in FIG. 4. The springs 37extend transversely of sheet 1 and serve to assure that the main bodyportion of the sheet will assume the arcuate configuration seen in FIG.1 when the barrier is deployed.

Sheet 1 and walls 11 can be fabricated from various types ofcommercially available fluid-impervious sheet materials, includingextruded polymeric materials and composite fabrics. Extruded polyvinylchloride sheet with a thickness on the order of 0.006-0.01 in. isparticularly useful.

While particularly advantageous embodiments have been described, it willbe understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments areillustrative rather than limiting. Thus, while it is advantageous tohave the collapsible air chambers cylindrical and oriented as shown,they can be of noncylindrical form and the invention is not limited tohaving the direction of collapse and inflation at right angles to themain sheet.

What is claimed is:

1. In a buoyant barrier for confining material, such as spilled oil,floating on the surface of a body of water,

the combination of a sheet of flexible material having two elongated atleast generally parallel edge portions; and a plurality of resilientlycollapsible air chambers arranged in two series with each seriesextending along and attached to a different one of said edge portions,each of said air chambers being of bellows-like configuration with theaxes of the bellows extending perpendicular to the plane of the sheetwhen said sheet in in flat condition, each of said chambers beingequipped with air passage means arranged to allow air to flow into thechambers, during inflation thereof, and out of said chambers, duringcollapsing thereof; the combination of said sheet and said chambersbeing of such overall flexibility as to be capable of being wound on areel for storage and transport, with said air chambers collapsed, andalso capable of being unwound and deployed on the surface of the body ofwater, with said air chambersexpanding resiliently to inflatedcondition, when the barrier is in use,

said sheet having a width such that, when said chambers are inflated andthe barrier deployed, said sheet depends from said chambers intrough-like fashion to define a water chamber, with the inflated airchambers supporting the barrier and with said edge portions projectingabove the surface of the body of water.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said air chambers of eachof said series are arranged in pairs with the air chambers of each pairaligned generally end-to-end with the respective edge portion of saidsheet disposed therebetween so that, when the barrier is deployed, oneof said air chambers of each pair projects laterally outwardly and theother air chamber of each pair projects inwardly so as to be supportedby the water retained by the trough-like deployed configuration of saidsheet.

3. The combination defined in claim 2, wherein the air spaces defined byeach pair of said air chambers are mutually independent.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein each of said air chamberscomprises wall means formed of a flexible sheet material, and

a helical compression spring contained within said wall means.

5. In a buoyant barrier for confining material, such as spilled oil,floating on the surface of a body of water, the combination of a sheetof flexible material having two elongated at least generally paralleledge portions; and SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING TWO ELONGATED ATLEAST GENERALLY PARALLEL EDGE PORTIONS: AND a plurality of resilientlycollapsible air chambers arranged in two series with each seriesextending along and attached to a different one of said edge portions,each of said chambers being equipped with air passage means arranged toallow air to flow into the chambers, during inflation thereof, and outof said chambers, during collapsing thereof, each of said chamberscomprising automatic valve means operative to close the respective oneof said air passage means when the air chamber has been inflated and toopen the same as the air chamber is collapsed; EACH OF SAID CHAM- BERSBEING EQUIPPED WITH AIR PASSAGE MEANS ARRANGED TO ALLOW AIR TO FLOW INTOTHE CHAMBERS, DURING INFLATION THEREOF, AND OUT OF SAID CHAMBERS, DURINGCOL- LAPSING THEREOF, EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS COMPRISING AUTOMATIC VALVEMEANS OPERATIVE TO CLOSE THE RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID AIR PASSAGE MEANSWHEN THE AIR CHAMBER HAS BEEN INFLATED AND TO OPEN THE SAME AS THE AIRCHAMBER IS COLLAPSED: the combination of said sheet and said chambersbeing of such overall flexibility as to be capable of being wound on areel for storage and transport, with said air chambers collapsed, andalso capable of being unwound and deployed on the surface of the body ofwater, with said air chambers expandlike fashion to define a waterchamber, with the inflated air chambers supporting the barrier and withsaid edge portions projecting above the surface of the body of water.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 6,869 Dated August 29, 1972 Inventor(s) James E Manue 1 It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identifiecI patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, lines 30-33, cancel "SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING TWOELONGATED AT LEAST GENERALLY PARALLEL EDGE PORTIONS: AND".

Column 6, lines 46-59, cancel "EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS AIR CHAMBER ISCOLLAPSEDN',

Column 7, line 5, "sad" should read -'said--.

Signed and sealed this 6th daiy of February 1973 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 603764 69 Y US. GOVERNMENTPRINTING DFFlCE I I," 0-3633,

1. In a buoyant barrier for confining material, such as spilled oil, floating on the surface of a body of water, the combination of a sheet of flexible material having two elongated at least generally parallel edge portions; and a plurality of resiliently collapsible air chambers arranged in two series with each series extending along and attached to a different one of said edge portions, each of said air chambers being of bellows-like configuration with the axes of the bellows extending perpendicular to the plane of the sheet when said sheet in in flat condition, each of said chambers being equipped with air passage means arranged to allow air to flow into the chambers, during inflation thereof, and out of said chambers, during collapsing thereof; the combination of said sheet and said chambers being of such overall flexibility as to be capable of being wound on a reel for storage and transport, with said air chambers collapsed, and also capable of being unwound and deployed on the surface of the body of water, with said air chambers expanding resiliently to inflated condition, when the barrier is in use, said sheet having a width such that, when said chambers are inflated and the barrier deployed, said sheet depends from said chambers in trough-like fashion to define a water chamber, with the inflated air chambers supporting the barrier and with said edge portions projecting above the surface of the body of water.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said air chambers of each of said series are arranged in pairs with the air chambers of each pair aligned generally end-to-end with the respective edge portion of said sheet disposed therebetween so that, when the barrier is deployed, one of said air chambers of each pair projects laterally outwardly and the other air chamber of each pair projects inwardly so as to be supported by the water retained by the trough-like deployed configuration of said sheet.
 3. The combination defined in claim 2, wherein the air spaces defined by each pair of said air chambers are mutually independent.
 4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein each of said air chambers comprises wall means formed of a flexible sheet material, and a helical compression spring contained within said wall means.
 5. In a buoyant barrier for confining material, such as spilled oil, floating on the surface of a body of water, the combination of a sheet of flexible material having two elongated at least generally parallel edge portions; and a plurality of resiliently collapsible air chambers arranged in two series with each series extending along and attached to a different one of said edge portions, each of said chambers being equipped with air passage means arranged to allow air to flow into the chambers, during inflation thereof, and out of said chambers, during collapsing thereof, each of said chambers comprising automatic valve means operative to close the respective one of said air passage means when the air chamber has been inflated and to open the same as the air chamber is collapsed; the combination of said sheet and said chambers being of such overall flexibility as to be capable of being wound on a reel for storage and transport, with said air chambers collapsed, and also capable of being unwound and deployed on the surface of the body of water, with said air chambers expanding resiliently to inflated condition, when the barrier is in use, said sheet having a width such that, when said chambers are inflated and the barrier deployed, sad sheet depends from said chambers in trough-like fashion to define a water chamber, with the inflated air chambers supporting the barrier and with said edge portions projecting above the surface of the body of water. 